CHAPTER 14 _A BROKEN ROD_
"You must have mistaken me for some other person," Penny stammered,backing a step away from the hotel man. "Who do you think I am?"
The question was a mistake, for it only served to intensify HarveyMaxwell's anger.
"You're the daughter of Anthony Parker who runs the yellowest paper inRiverview! I know why he sent you here. Now get out and don't let mecatch you in the hotel ever again."
Observing the green card in Penny's hand he reached out and jerked itfrom her.
"I wasn't doing any harm," she said, trying to act injured. "My fatherdidn't send me to Pine Top. I came for the skiing."
Secretly, Penny was angry at Maxwell's reference to the _Riverview Star_as being a "yellow" sheet, which in newspaper jargon meant that it was asensation-seeking newspaper.
"And what are you doing in this part of the hotel?"
"I only wanted to see the Green Room," Penny replied. "I thought I wouldhave my breakfast here."
Harvey Maxwell and the doorman exchanged a quick glance which was notlost upon the girl.
"Where did you get your ticket?" the hotel man demanded but in a lessharsh voice.
"I picked it up outside the hotel."
Penny spoke truthfully and her words carried conviction. Harvey Maxwellseemed satisfied that she had not been investigating the wing for anyspecial purpose. However, he took her by an elbow and steered her downthe corridor to the elevator.
"If you're the smart little girl I think you are, a hint will besufficient," he said. "I don't want any member of the Parker family on mypremises. So stay away. Get me?"
"Yes, sir," responded Penny meekly.
Inwardly, she was raging. Someone deliberately had betrayed her to HarveyMaxwell and she had a very good idea who that person might be. From nowon employes of the hotel would be told to keep watch for her. Never againwould she be allowed in the lobby, much less in the vicinity of the GreenRoom.
Harvey Maxwell walked with Penny to the front door of the hotel andclosed it behind her.
"Remember," he warned, "stay away."
As Penny started down the walk she heard a silvery laugh, and glancingsideways, saw Francine leaning against the building.
"You didn't spend much time in the Green Room, did you?" she inquired.
"That was a dirty trick to play!" retorted Penny. "I wouldn't have doneit to you."
"You couldn't have thought that fast, my dear Penny."
"I might tell Mr. Maxwell you're a reporter for the _Riverview Record_.How would you like that?"
Francine shrugged. "In that case we both lose the story. All I want is anexclusive. After the yarn breaks in the _Record_, your father will bewelcome to make use of any information published. So if you really wanthim to win his libel suit, you'll gain by not interfering with me."
"You reason in a very strange way," replied Penny coldly.
Picking up her skis she shouldered them and marched stiffly away. She wasangry at Francine and angry at herself for having given the rivalreporter an opportunity to score against her. Probably she would nevertell Harvey Maxwell or Ralph Fergus who the girl actually was, sorely asshe might be tempted. As Francine had pointed out, her own chance ofgleaning any worth while information had been lost.
"It's a bitter pill to choke down," thought Penny, "but I would ratherhave the _Record_ get the story than to lose it altogether."
Sunk deep in depression, she tramped back to the Downey lodge. The mailhad arrived during her absence but there was no letter from home.
"Dad might at least send me a postcard," she grumbled. "For two cents Iwould take the next plane back to Riverview."
However, Penny could not remain downhearted for any great length of time.Why worry about Francine and the silly old Green Room? She would forgetall about it and try to have fun for a change.
It was not difficult to dismiss the matter from her mind, for thefollowing morning Sara Jasko came to give her a lesson in bob-sleddriving. With a crowd of interested guests watching from the sidelines,they made their first exciting ride over the track. Sara steered, Jakeoperated the brake, and Penny rode as sole passenger.
Horseshoe Curve was the most thrilling point on the course. As the sledtore around it at a tremendous rate of speed, Jake dug in the iron clawof the brake, sending up a plume of snow. They slackened speedperceptibly, but even so the sled climbed high on the sloping wall, andPenny thought for an anxious moment that they were going over the top.The remainder of the run was mild by comparison.
Upon later trips Penny was allowed to manage the brake, and soon becamedexterous in applying it as Sara shouted the command.
Skiers abandoned the slopes to watch the new sport. Two at a time, Pennyand Sara gave them rides and all of their passengers were enthusiastic.
By the following day the word had spread down the mountain that Mrs.Downey's bob-sled run was operating. Guests from the Fergus hotel joinedthe throng but they were given rides only when there were no passengerswaiting.
"It's going over like a house afire!" Penny declared gaily to Mrs.Downey. "I shouldn't be surprised if you take some of the Fergus hotel'scustomers away from them if this enthusiasm lasts."
"You and Sara are showing folks a wonderful time."
"And we're having one ourselves. It's even more fun than skiing."
"But more dangerous," declared Mrs. Downey. "I hope we have noaccidents."
"Sara is a skillful driver."
"Yes, she is," agreed Mrs. Downey. "There's no cause for worry so long asthe track isn't icy."
Two days passed during which Penny did not even go near the Fergus hotelor to the village. As she remarked to Mrs. Downey, all of Pine Top cameto the lodge. During the morning hours when the bob-sled run was inoperation, a long line of passengers stood waiting. Guests from theFergus hotel had few chances for rides. Several of them, wishing to be onthe favored list, checked out and came to take lodging at Mrs. Downey'splace.
"I can't understand it," the woman declared to Penny. "Last year the runwasn't very popular. I think it may have been because we had a littleaccident at the beginning of the season. Nothing serious but it served tofrighten folks."
"I wonder how the Fergus-Maxwell interests are enjoying it?" chuckledPenny.
"Not very well, you may be sure. This flurry in our business will ratherworry them. They may not put me out of business as quickly as theyexpected."
"At least you'll end your season in a blaze of glory," laughed Penny.
The weather had turned warmer. Late Thursday afternoon the snow melted abit and the lowering night temperatures caused a film of ice to form overthe entire length of the bob-sled run. Jake shook his head as he talkedover the situation with Penny the next morning.
"The track will be fast and slippery this morning."
"A lot of folks will be disappointed if we don't make any trips,"declared Penny. "Here comes Sara. Let's see what she has to say."
Sara studied the run, and walked down as far as Horseshoe Curve.
"It's fast all right," she conceded. "But that will only make it the moreexciting. Brakes in good order, Jake?"
"I tested every sled last night after they were brought to the shop."
"Then we'll have no trouble," said Sara confidently. "Round up thepassengers, Jake, and we'll start at once."
The sled was hauled to the starting line. Sara took her place behind thewheel, with Penny riding the end position to handle the brake. Theirfirst passengers were to be a middle aged married couple. Sara gave thempadded helmets to wear.
"What are these for?" the woman asked nervously. "The toboggan slideisn't dangerous, is it?"
"No, certainly not," answered Sara. "We haven't had a spill this year.Hang tight on the curves. Give me plenty of brake when I call for it,Penny."
She signaled for the push off. They started fast and gathered speed onthe straightaway. Penny wondered how Sara could s
teer for her own eyesblurred as they shot down the icy trough. They never had traveled at suchhigh speed before.
"Brakes!" shouted Sara.
Penny obeyed the order, and felt the sled slow down as the brake claw duginto the snow and ice. They raced on toward the first wide curve, andswung around it, high on the banked wall, too close to the outside edgefor comfort.
"Brakes!" called Sara again.
Once more the iron claw dug in, sending up a spray of snow behind theracing sled. And then there came a strange, pinging sound.
For the briefest instant Penny did not comprehend its significance. Then,as the sled leaped ahead faster than ever and the geyser of snowvanished, she realized what had happened. The brakes were useless! A rodhad snapped! They were roaring down the track with undiminished speed,and Horseshoe Curve, the most dangerous point on the run, lay directlyahead.